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This movie is a genuine classic. The picture quality on Blue-ray is outstanding. Amazing what these guys can do with old film. If you have never viewed this movie...what are you waiting for ? The sound track isn't going to blow anyone away, so this movie isn't going to show off that aspect of your home theatre, but the story and picture more than make up for it.This is a must have title for anyones collection. Also, there is a recent interview with Malcolm McDowell and his friends and family that id definately worth a watch.Many of the movies from this time period haven't aged well as far as the story lines go. But Kubrick was way ahead of his time when he put this movie out.

Although there are some notable differences between the novella and the film version, Kubrick's classic does preserve the main part of Burgess' message, though does so in a more tragic manner. Because of the unique dialogue used by Alex and his "droogis" (from the Russian drugi for "friends in violence"), an understanding of Nadsat (the "teen language" of the teen anti-hero and his friends), or multiple viewings can help in the understanding of the dialogue. In essence, Clockwork Orange is a criticism of the emerging behaviourist and conditioning practices as a means of reforming troubled youths and so-called "criminals." Though both Kubrick and Burgess do maintain this as their main message, Kubrick does not preserve Alex's "self-reformation" which occurs in the 21st chapter of Burgess' book. Still though, the dialogue, the soundtrack and the costumes are relatively consistent with the book version and Clockwork Orange costumes are still quite popular at Halloween and other costume parties.

Perhaps the greatest irony in "A Clockwork Orange" occurs in the scene where Alex is reading the Bible in prison. He informs the viewer that he loves the violence and sex contained in the first part, but really has no use for the preaching in the latter half. I've come across a lot of folks who have seen this flick and it never fails- there are many out there who, like Alex and the Bible, love the brutality of the first hour of the film, and cannot abide the preachy second half. If you are one of those, stop reading this review."A Clockwork Orange" is an ingenious comparison of two theories of punishment- retributivism and utilitarianism. Debate has raged over the proper role of a criminal justice system. Is the goal to punish the criminal according to the old eye for an eye standard (retributivism) or to reform the criminal into a useful, law abiding citizen (utilitarianism)? At the outset, many people dismiss utilitarian values as a lot of liberal silliness: soft on crime. A more important question is whether we should reform criminals whether they desire to be reformed or not for the good of society. One of the more interesting aspects of this film is that is shows utilitarianism can be a far more brutal method than retributivism, contrary to popular thought.Here we have the debate crystallized as if the proponents of both, Kant and Bentham, were debating the merits before our very eyes through the characters on screen. Alex is unquestionably rotten to the core; he maims and rapes helpless victims for laughs. The first hour of the film is dedicated to underscoring this point. When Alex is apprehended by the authorities, he is dealt with in the old fashioned Kantian way- punishment.Read more ›

"A Clockwork Orange" is screenplay writer/director/producer Stanley Kubrick's interpretation of the book of the same name by Anthony Burgess. The dialog includes some of Burgess' made-up language from the book.The plot revolves around Alex de Large and his group of friends who are very violent, and get their kicks by raping and assaulting people. After Alex and friends commit various crimes, Alex is finally arrested and put in prison with a sentence of 14 years. Eventually, his sentence is commuted in exchange for him undergoing experimental aversion therapy which makes him physically ill at the thought of sex or violence. However, it also makes him hate Beethoven's 9th Symphony which was played as background music to some aversion films during treatment. After an attempted suicide, Alex is re-treated with apologies by the government for inhuman treatment, and Alex appears he will resume his old ways.This movie is highly stylized, including wardrobe, hairdo's (mom has purple hair, another woman had dark blue hair), set dressing, location and props. There is a fair amount of full frontal nudity of both sexes, and some stylized and slow-motion violence. Kubrick has made some good and bad movies, but this is his most stylized and over-the-top effort. Not for everyone.DVD has chapters, English or French spoken language, several subtitle languages, a trailer and list of awards.

I have recently gotten into punk music. Im not talking the new wave, fake pop punk, i mean the old 70-80s punk, when the songs actually had a statement. Obviously, i ran into the Adicts, and i loved them. I heard that they are loosely based on Alex's "droogs" in this movie, in how they dress in boiler suits, so i thought i would check it out. Right from the out start of the movie, Alex begins to beat a homeless person, simply because he doesn't like the homeless. From that point on, you can't help but get the feeling that you shouldn't be watching the movie, yet you can't keep your eyes off of it. The movie throws you into a whirlwind of emotions, what with the hate that grows in you towards Alex for his truly hanous acts of rape and violence (or "the old in out," and "a bit of the old ultra-violence," as Alex puts it.) Kubrick does a great job of truly making you think that Alex deserves all he has coming to him.Alex and his droogs are out one night, ready to take their next female victim, and the group agrees, without alex of course, that they are tired of him being the boss. Alex goes into the womans house, and after killing her with a giant ciramic male organ (if you know what i mean), runs out the front door, only to meet a milk bottle directly to his face from one of his droog buddies. his friends make a clean getaway and Alex is taken by the police and put into a catholic prison of sorts. While their he learns about the bible, and begins thinking things quite disturbing, such as being the one whip Christ on the way to his death (like i said disturbing.)Eventually Alex gets in the good graces of the pastor and is sent to a program which is basically a complete brainwash.Read more ›